Harvard Headed for Top, Union for Cellar

Last year, the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference came to be known as the little kid on the block.. Not one team from the ECAC advanced past its first-round games in the NCAA finals, and that didn't surprise anyone.

This year, the conference's two top teams--Harvard and Clarkson--should give the ECAC a measure of respectability more than it had in 1991-92. Harvard looks poised to repeat as the regular-season champion. With its talented sophomores and the addition of superstar Ted Drury, Harvard should stay atop the division.

The rest of the league should look something like this:

2. CLARKSON

Clarkson is looking strongest where its competitors are weak this season. Losing only four players to graduation last spring, the Golden Knights bring back the experience of 17 lettermen who have earned the team an overall record of 22-10-1.

This season, Clarkson has been picked to win the ECAC by a poll of league coaches and ranked in the top five by almost every hockey poll in the country.

With three solid lines that can score, a good checking line, six returning defenders and two goalies rated as best in the country, Clarkson should light up many a scoreboard from Potsdam to Lake Placid.

The Knights have started the season with a 2-1 record, outscoring their opponents 21-6 in their first three games.

But their loss to Lowell on Saturday (November 7) points out that the team's biggest problem this season--as with last season--will be consistency.

Co-Captain Steve Dubinsky says that the team's deep experience should keep it going all the way to the national championships.

"We have [seven seniors] who have been here four years and have been to NCAA three times. They have a lot of experience and that will hopefully be our backbone," says Co-Captain Steve Dubinsky.

A player to watch this season is the team's top scorer, left wing Hugo Belanger, who is the ECAC's leading scorer out of currently active players. With a career record of 68-105-173 in 111 career games and a 4-4-8 record this season, Belanger is a serious candidate for Hoby Baker and for All American. He is the Knight's fifth alltime leading scorer.

3. YALE

Two years from now, Yale's Tim Taylor will be in Norway dreaming of Olympic gold.

But for now, the newly-appointed coach of the USA hockey squad is stuck in New Haven, dodging bullets and hoping to bring his team into the top of the ECAC ranks.

Last year's squad surprised everyone, capturing the Ivy title and finishing fourth in the ECAC. There's every reason to believe Yale could do as well this year.

Yale returns 15 of 21 lettermen from last year, including six of the top ten scorers, both goalies and all but one defenders.

"This is a Yale team with great senior leadership at all the positions," Taylor says. "They have seen adversity and success, and want to make an impact on their final season."

Leading the way for the high powered offense will be senior Mark Kaufmann. Kaufmann was a first team All-ECAC selection last year, and should be a viable candidate for All-America honors this year.

"We will have three lines that can skate with anyone in the league," Taylor says.

The defense is solid as well. Jack Duffy, a second team all ECAC selection last year, will anchor the experienced unit.

All the pieces, then, seem to be there: great scoring, experienced defense and unparalled coaching.

Yale has been picked to finish fourth in the ECAC, but with a little luck and a healthy squad the Bulldogs could cause some major headaches for the league's favorites.

4. RPI

Though undefeated so far this season with a record of 1-0-2, Rensellaer faces the challenge of playing consistently with a very young squad.

With only one senior on the team suiting up this year, the Engineers will have to battle inexperience and make the most of their strengths: speed, quickness and goaltending ability.

"Until we mature...we're going to be up and down," says Coach Buddy Powers. "Some nights we'll play well and others we're going to struggle."

But some of the newcomers have already shown their potential. Last year, the team finished 10th in the ECAC standings, but by the end of the season it knocked off Clarkson, Brown and, in the ECAC quarterfinals, top-ranked Harvard.

The young ones have shown their skill this season as well. Freshman Tim Regan was named ECAC Rookie of the Week after collecting an assist and the game-winning goal in the season opener against Providence.

Other freshmen to watch for are Patrick Rochon on defense and Bryan Richardson up front.

The only senior on the squad is mammoth bruiser, Allen Kummu, the team's top defensive scorer.

The nearest thing to a team star is goalie Neil Little with a .915 save percentage.

Returning players learned by taking some lumps last year when RPI finished 10th in regular season standings.

But Powers says that the team needs more game experience before any predictions can be made.

"We could have a pretty good club. We could be in the top four or take fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth place. We won't be able to tell until we play 15 games or so," Powers says.

5. BROWN

The Boston area has been home to many famous lines. The Superline (Harvard), H-E-M (Boston College) and S-A-M (Boston University).

And now, Providence seems to be getting in on the action with a potent line of its own. This one doesn't have a cute name, but it certainly has the talent.

Brown features senior forwards Derek Chauvette (12-30-42), Mike Ross (14-19-33) and Scott Hanley (15-20-35), who as the Bears' top line should do some damage around the ECAC.

"We have a lot of returning seniors to give us experience and depth," says Chauvette. "We know what it is like to loose. This year we want to continue a winning attitude."

That winning attitude has brought Brown from the depths of ECAC mediocrity (12th in 1989) to respectability (fifth in 1992). And this year behind Coach Bob Gaudet, Brown has a reasonable shot at breaking into the top four in the league.

6. SLU

Tough times are ahead for St. Lawrence, defending ECAC champions.

Hockey runs through the blood of every student and player in Canton, N.Y., but this year's Saints must contend with some heavenly losses to their roster.

These included the team's top six scorers, including All-Americans Daniel LaPerriere (now playing for the St. Louis Blues) and Mike Lappin.

But the loss of these stars doesn't seem to have made much of an impact yet.

The Saints' are 3-0 so far and slightly ahead of the pace of last year's team in goal scoring and defense.

Coach Joe March says he is "cautiously optimistic" about the team's prospects this season, saying the team's performance will rely on 3rd-4rd line players from last year stepping up and making use of the competitiveness and experience they gained in last year's playoffs.

The Saints' scoring and goaltending is strong but the team is still young defensively, with three freshmen and returnees without much experience.

Returning players to watch on the team are: goalie Paul Spagnoletti, with a 20-8-0 record and .899 save percentage; Captain Greg Carvel, right wing Spenser Meany, and Assistant Captain Lee Albert.

7. VERMONT

Vermont begins this season with only one mission: defense.

For a team with as much as firepower as broken cap-gun, the Catamounts lone salvation is, as Coach Roger Gilles says, "strong defense and goaltending."

In goal, Vermont (16-12-3 last year) returns sophomore Christian Soucy, an All-America honoree and the 1991-2 ECAC Rookie of the Year. Last year, Soucy recorded a 2.83 gaa. and .910 save percentage (second in the nation).

So far this season, Soucy has proved his worth, helping Vermont to a 2-2 tie against Boston College.

The offensive hopes--dim though they are--rest on wing Nicolas Perreault (16-17-33) and center Dominique Ducharme (13-19-32).This team could shock a few teams this year. It already pulled off a 4-3 upset of Providence, in what Coach Michael Gilligan calls, the team's "best effort so far."

8. PRINCETON

The Princeton Tigers, must overcome two of sports world's greatest obstacles: youth and injury.

After one of the most encouraging seasons in Princeton's recent history (a 12-14-1 record along with the team's first ever ECAC post season victory), the team takes the ice with a host of freshmen and sophomores who are expected to pick up the slack left by last year's six graduating seniors.

This year's squad is ranked 11th in the preseason polls.

"We certainly have a long way to go," Coach Donald Cahoon says. "Obviously, we gave up a lot physically and in the locker room."

The Tigers have already lost three big-time players to injury, including senior co-Captain defenseman Sverre Sears, who will be out for at least two weeks.

Cahoon is almost giddy about this year's defense, led by senior goalie Craig Fiander. And last year's second offensive line of Brian Bigelow, Terry Morris and Matt Zilinskas, known as the "Money Line", returns intact.

But Cahoon realizes the difficulties his young team will have to face early in the season.

"We've been ravaged by injuries," he says. "We have to overcome them and we have to mature."

9. CORNELL

Cornell's defense may have been depleted by graduation and the professional draft in the off-season, but the Big Red still hopes to fare better than its ninth place preseason ranking would indicate.

One player who will be sorely missed is Parris Duffus. The All-American goaltender gave up his last year of collegiate eligiblity to sign a professional contract with the St. Louis Blues over the summer. Duffus' departure leaves the goaltending responsibilities to sophomore Andy Bandurski.

But Cornell Captain Ryan Hughes thinks Bandurski can fill Duffus' large skates.

"When you lose a first team All-American it obviously hurts," Hughes says. "But we have as much confidence in Andy right now as we did in Parris."

Five defenders from last year's team graduated leaving a wide gap at Cornell's blueline this year.

But the defense, though basically untried, continues to hinge on senior stand-out Etienne Belzile, the 1990 second-round draft choice of the Calgary Flames.

"Belzile's as good as any defenseman in the league," Hughes says.

The Big Red offense, which recorded its lowest output in 20 years last season, was also ravaged by graduation.

Hughes, who was also All-Ivy honorable mention last year, will have to provide leadership for a front line which includes five newcomers.

10. COLGATE

Colgate brings a wealth of experience onto the ice and dearth of it into the head office.

With 20 returning lettermen, including seven of its top scorers and last season's entire defense, Colgate should improve on last season's eighth place, 11-11-0 finish.

That is, if its coaching staff can put together a solid strategy.

With the death of Terry Slater, Colgate now has Don Vaughan as head coach, including his plan for building a "strong defense."

Vaughan attributes the team's two losses this season, against Lowell (3-2) and Boston University (5-3), to mental errors and team chemistry.

Of course, a lack of talent didn't help the cause either. The team's scoring burden, heavy that it is, rests on top scoring Captains Andrew Dickson (15-31-46), Marcel Richard (18-27-45) and Ron Fogarty (16-24-40).

"For a team that has come off a rough season with the loss of a coach and getting used to a new staff, we have played well," says Moore. "We are all finding our way."

To where, is anyone's guess.

11. DARTMOUTH

The 1992-93 Dartmouth hockey season rests on the proven shoulders of a strong goalie duo and on the quick skates of a precocious sophomore front line.

Picked 11th in the preseason polls, the Big Green is hoping to rebuild after its disappointing 3-21-2 season last year.

In goal, senior Assistant Captain Vern Guetens and junior Mike Bracco combined last season to stop 904 shots, for an .868 save percentage. Bracco was an ECAC all-rookie goalie in 1991 and Guetens had the second best individual save percentage in the league last year.

The sophomore line of Patrick Turcotte, Dion DelMonte and Mike Stacchi will most likely provide the bulk of the scoring this season. As a rookie line last year, the trio accounted for 52 points including 22 goals, 30 percent of the team's offensive production.

Junior Scott Fraser, the Big Green's active career scoring leader and their most dangerous individual threat, will head the team's junior line.

And Captain Peter Clark, the heart and soul of the team, is the center on the returning senior line.

Without a single returning senior on the blueline, the Big Green defense relies heavily on less experienced players. Freshmen Dax Burkhart and Scott Dolesh must adapt quickly to the ECAC competition if they are to fulfill the coaching staff's expectations and handle the major roles they will be given as stoppers.

12. UNION

Hercules had it easy compared to the Union hockey team.

Union begins this season with little hope of improving on, shall we say, a dismal year.

In 1992, the Skating Dutchmen reached a level of mediocrity only the New England Patriots can fully appreciate.

Last season Union, Playing its first year of Division I hockey, looked, well, like a Division III school playing Division I. It had a record of 3-21-1 overall and 2-19-1 in conference.

Those records, however, don't even begin to describe the horrors this team endured. The Dutchmen finished last in team defense, penalty killing efficiency and special teams efficiency, and second to last in team offense and power play efficiency.

This year the prospects seem just as bleak.

"We are just trying to build a good team," Union Coach Bruce Delventhal says. "We are one step closer, but we are still far from where we want to be."

The 1992-93 edition will primarily consist of freshmen and sophmores. Union brought in 10 new recruits and all of them made the team.

"We didn't bring in any Ted Drurys, but we will have some good recruits who will certainly help us," Delventhal says.

Few of last year's starters are returning. The top two returnees will be sophmore goalies Luigi Villa and Mike Gallant. On offense Union's best hopes fall on the shoulders of junior Jayson Flowers (seven goals and nine assists).

From the looks of Union's first preseason game, a 6-5 loss to Division III Army, the returnees will need not only great play but some divine intervention if they hope to stay out of the cellar.